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Magistrates heard that he had attacked another child before and ordered that him to be put down.

A petition appealing the order has attracted more than 1,400 signatures after with many supporters claiming the animal was provoked.

The parents of the boy, who cannot be named for legal reasons, angrily hit back, saying: "It has already been a traumatic experience for my son but now this has become public on the internet and social media, we are having to re-live this nightmare all over again.

"To make matters worse, there have been vile comments made by people who have not even read the court report.

The child was raced to hospital and needed 21 stitches (Image: SWNS)

"The dog was comfortable in the presence of my son as he had been invited over to the Harris house on many occasions.

"Contradictory to some comments made, my son did not poke his phone in the dog's face, put his arm around him or put his face right into the dog's - it attacked without warning."

The boy was friends with the Harris' son and the pair had planned on going swimming when they visited Harris' house in Chelmsford on the day.